What Paul says of natural death, "some are fallen asleep," I Cor. 15:6, may be applied in a spiritual sense to professors: there are many such; but it is a very bad frame to live in and indulge: such bring no honor to God, credit to the Gospel, or profit to their brethren One would think, such sit all the year under that word and heartily obey it," sleep on and take your rest." Can such be said to be running the heavenly race, fighting the good light of faith, wrestling with spiritual enemies, and pressing towards the mark for the prize of the light calling of God in Christ Jesus? No: no more than man in a midnight sleep can be said to he active in wordly affairs; but what is worst of all, such sleepers dream that all is safe and well with them.
Paul, like a faithful watchman, cries out to such, Awake! "how long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep!" What do they answer? "Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep." Prov. 6:10. If you jog them and strive to arouse them to the exercise of grace and the discharge of duty, some are ready to answer, "We know the doctrines of grace; do not disturb us with your legal notions about sin and righteousness." The Lord keep our souls from such a dreadful frame. Take heed, O christian, of such; beware lest you catch the infection from them and lie down to sleep by them.
Whence do such slumbering frames proceed? Says wisdom, "Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep." Prov. 19:15. Slothfulness in the ways of the Lord will bring on deep sleep of soul. Again, sitting under drowsy, lethargic preachers, who aim more to fill the head with notions of light than to warm the heart by the fire of love. So, also, love of this world, and eager pursuits after its riches, honors, and pleasures, are opiates to the soul. O christian, consider the unintermitting zeal and activity of thy Lord for thy salvation! Wrestle hard with him to quicken and keep thy soul alive to righteousness, that thou mayest not sin to dishonor him; but live and walk, love and obey, so as to glorify him. Lord, let us never lose a sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the dreadful effects of it upon our souls. O, let conscience rather smart with pain than sleep in stupid security.